This site represents the origin of 30% of the population of Cape Breton. Beautiful well maintained site that recreates some of the buildings that mark early Scottish history on the island. The museum has created a path that follows the history and each stop is manned by guides in period dress doing typical tasks. They engage you in a short description of the setting and their task but the real joy is engaging them is conversation. All are well informed and full of knowledge.

This was a wonderful place to visit! They have created a great experience for you to truly jump into Gaelic culture! My mom and I were able to see the transition of the journey from Scotland to Nova Scotia, and the interpreters did a great job getting us involved in the story! We were able to participate in tightening linen by pounding it on the table and singing Gaelic songs! As a teacher, I loved seeing how school worked for them, and the opportunities that they recieved. I would definitely recommend this to everyone!

This living history museum is wonderful! The only reason I didn't give it a 5 was because of its lack of accessibility. I had read beforehand that it was difficult for those with mobility challenges, but I really wanted to see it, so we decided to give it a try. Getting around the site was much harder than expected!! It was extremely frustrating for my husband using a walker and for me trying to accompany him. When we were running out of time to see more than a tiny portion of the site, we finally gave up. I left him talking to one of the interpreters in one of the buildings while I rushed around to see the rest of the site. Accessibility of the visitor centre was OK. We were given permission to drive up the steepest hill and park behind the church and/or by the "yellow house". That made it a shorter distance to walk to the first building, but after that it was still very difficult for my husband to get around. The buildings are all a distance apart from each other. The pathways are covered with loose gravel, which is the most difficult surface for either a walker or wheelchair. When my husband tried to walk on the grass instead, he found that equally as difficult because the ground under the grass was very uneven with many holes that his walker wheels got stuck in. In addition, in many places the ground was soft enough that his walker wheels had difficulty turning. If accessibility is not a concern, this is a wonderful living history museum!! Almost all of the costumed interpreters were phenomenal! They were very well informed, offered information about the time, and answered questions about the way of life, customs, and history depicted by the museum. The woman in the stone house and the man in the log house were especially good. From the displays in the info centre and the information offered by the staff, I was able to understand more about my Scottish heritage, the situation my ancestors likely moved from, and the reasons that passing on their Scottish customs was so important to them.

This living history museum begins in Scotland in the early 1800s, as many Scottish families were preparing to leave Scotland for Cape Breton. You travel from building to building, progressing through to the 1920s, learning what life was like for Gaels immigrating to Nova Scotia at that time. Costumed interpreters tell you about their “own” experiences and what life is like for them. Highly recommend this very interesting and well done museum.